Cancer Support and Caregivers Who Are Trail Blazers!

[sweetcali]

Originally Posted by Andrew, Jr.

Thanks Tommi,

You are such a wonderful friend to me, and many others.

I am out of sorts. Just not myself. I apologize if I stepped on anyone's toes lately.

Namaste,
Andrew

Oh goodness Andrew...That is one of the wonderful side effects of this journey we are on. All those filters you used to have? Say goodbye!!! And learn to have fun with them. LOL

sweetcali

[Andrew, Jr.]

Sweetcali,

You are so right. I agree.

[Andrew, Jr.]

The tumor the surgeon removed last week from my breast was not cancerous. Thank God above. I have a very good chance of getting cancer since I already had cervical cancer, but my mother and grandmother both have/had breast cancer, and my sister is in remission from ovarian cancer. It has been 8 years so far.

The surgeon told me that my chances go up a great deal. I am being used in a study and followed from this point forward.

I dodged a huge bullet.

[Tommi]

Originally Posted by Andrew, Jr.

Thanks Tommi,

You are such a wonderful friend to me, and many others.

I am out of sorts. Just not myself. I am so grateful for my many friendships here.

Namaste,
Andrew

Originally Posted by sweetcali

Oh goodness Andrew...That is one of the wonderful side effects of this journey we are on. All those filters you used to have? Say goodbye!!! And learn to have fun with them. LOL

sweetcali

Yes, sweetcali, life gives you lemons and we want to add it to our water, versus throwing them any longer.
I was the same way, stepping on toes, so I took Salsaand Two Step lessons.

Originally Posted by Andrew, Jr.

The tumor the surgeon removed last week from my breast was not cancerous. Thank God above. I have a very good chance of getting cancer since I already had cervical cancer, but my mother and grandmother both have/had breast cancer, and my sister is in remission from ovarian cancer. It has been 8 years so far.

The surgeon told me that my chances go up a great deal. I am being used in a study and followed from this point forward.

I dodged a huge bullet.

Andrew,
Glad to hear the good news. Waiting for the news is scary, so glad that is over. Now as you know, the follow-ups are so important, as you know.

I signed up for a clinical study too, when I was diagnosed with endometrial ca 6 years ago. My only family history of cancer was my Mom, who had lung cancer after smoking since she was 16.. No relatives on either side of my family for as far back as anyone knew. My Gyn/Onncologist had said they wanted to follow many things, including effects of 2nd hand smoke on non-smokers who were diagnosed with cancer. So, I am now having annual follow-ups, and am free to live every day to the fullest, and thank god for my lucky stars every night.

[sweetcali]

Andrew,
Glad to hear the good news. Waiting for the news is scary, so glad that is over. Now as you know, the follow-ups are so important, as you know.

I signed up for a clinical study too, when I was diagnosed with endometrial ca 6 years ago. My only family history of cancer was my Mom, who had lung cancer after smoking since she was 16.. No relatives on either side of my family for as far back as anyone knew. My Gyn/Onncologist had said they wanted to follow many things, including effects of 2nd hand smoke on non-smokers who were diagnosed with cancer. So, I am now having annual follow-ups, and am free to live every day to the fullest, and thank god for my lucky stars every night.[/QUOTE]

Make sure you let them know that 60% of those diagnosed with lung cancer have never smoked. Out of that 60%, 45% have not lived around second hand smoke. 1 out of three women this year will be diagnosed with lung cancer. The least researched and least funded cancer is lung cancer. There is no federal mandated money to study or research lung cancer.

Just a little info you can take with you to your study.

sweetcali

[Spirit Dancer]

Originally Posted by sweetcali

Andrew,
Glad to hear the good news. Waiting for the news is scary, so glad that is over. Now as you know, the follow-ups are so important, as you know.

I signed up for a clinical study too, when I was diagnosed with endometrial ca 6 years ago. My only family history of cancer was my Mom, who had lung cancer after smoking since she was 16.. No relatives on either side of my family for as far back as anyone knew. My Gyn/Onncologist had said they wanted to follow many things, including effects of 2nd hand smoke on non-smokers who were diagnosed with cancer. So, I am now having annual follow-ups, and am free to live every day to the fullest, and thank god for my lucky stars every night.

Make sure you let them know that 60% of those diagnosed with lung cancer have never smoked. Out of that 60%, 45% have not lived around second hand smoke. 1 out of three women this year will be diagnosed with lung cancer. The least researched and least funded cancer is lung cancer. There is no federal mandated money to study or research lung cancer.

Just a little info you can take with you to your study.

sweetcali[/QUOTE]

SweetCali
You are so correct, when we began our journey we also found that
Multiple Myeloma accounted for only 1% of all Cancers and therefore the funding was minuscule.
One cannot help but wonder does lack of funding for research come with the price, since most patients are deemed "terminal" it's not worth spending the money to further research advance medicine or threapies for said cancer's.
We've written letters to congress and pur senators regarding these issues. Although the rsponse was sketchy at best, A We voiced our opinions and will continue to do so. sweetcali sending you light and hope may your day be blessed.

[Andrew, Jr.]

When my sister, Jo, was battling skin cancer at NIH, she dropped weight so fast. In the last 3 years of her life, I know that the chemo and experimental drugs really took a toll on her system. We all tried everything from Ensure or fruit shakes or just frozen fruit pops. Now, Jo was very much into cooking, so she still tried to keep playing tennis, making all efforts to live as if she was ok.

Then when she was at the point of taking stem cells...she got her appitite back. In fact, she loved to go to McDonald's for breakfast. She loved their coffee, and english muffin w/egg sandwich (can you tell I don't go there much -lol). Anyway, I would make a trip there and get her a large coffee, and 3 or 4 of those sandwiches because I knew later on after this go round, when we were back on the chemo, she would be loosing weight again. I hated it. I hated what it was doing to her.

I bought her a teddy bear from Vt. Teddy Bear Company when she was depressed, and not bouncing back from the treatments. That was a big hit for her, but no sooner than she got that, her energy level just dropped.

I just kept trying to boost her spirits. I would sent prayer cards, plants, balloons, funny cards, tennis balls, and just tons of pictures. It was the best thing to do to keep her guessing what was coming to her next.

The pain meds only help so much. Cancer sucks. I have lost not only my sister to cancer, but my Godfather. He died from brain cancer. I just cannot even talk about what happened to him. It is too fresh, and too overwhelming to me.

Namaste to all,
Andrew

[WolfyOne]

I sat here and read this thread tonight with tears in my eyes and sadness in my heart. Some of you are new to me and others I have known for years now, but either way, it's painful. I wasn't sure I'd be mentally strong enough to read in here, but something kept pulling me in. Years ago when my mom was diagnosed with cancer, she gave us 6 years to prepare for the inevitable. It wasn't any easier even with those 6 years. She wasn't diagnosed for a year from the time she first started seeing doctors. My mom had lymphoma and I saw glands swell and burst over the last year of her life. I remember sitting every day at the hospital with her. My visits would leave me drained and mentally exhausted. She once asked me why my brothers couldn't understand that all she wanted to do was die. I cried hard that day trying to grasp hold of the situation, but I did understand. I understood she gave us a 6 year warning. She gave us time to spend with her. She lived for her oldest grandchild that she helped raise. I think that's why she lasted so long. It wasn't until all the transfusions and hospital stays that last year that sucked the life out of her. When she stopped eating, I'd bring my niece to the hospital with me to feed her. Seems like she would eat for granddaughter, but only baby food. My niece used to beg my mom to eat for her. I should tell you now, my niece was only 9 or 10 then. When my mom stopped eating, she started getting worse. She had absolutely no strength, but enough of a voice to ask me to sign a DNR for her. It was the hardest choice I ever had to make, but I did what she asked.

Enough story, ok.

To get to my point and what I'm trying to get at is that even if nothing tastes good or you don't feel hungry, please keep putting nourishment in your body. I think it's more or as important as chemo. Never stop eating or drinking. Please push yourself, for you and for those that love you.